Impeller pump, seal and wear ring



Jan. 20, 1959 R. D. COPELAND 6 IMPELLER PUMP, SEAL AND WEAR RING Filed Feb. 1, 1957 FIG. 1.

INVENTOR. ROBERT 0. C0051. AND,

A T TOE/VEYS.

2,869,471 IMPELLER PUMP, SEAL AND WEAR RING Robert D. Copeland, Pecos, Tex.

Application February'l, 1957, Serial No. 637,779

1 Claim. (Cl. 103-111) This invention relates to improvements in rotary pump impeller seals, and more particularly to a combined seal and wear ring for the impellers and bowls of centrifugal and multi-stage-turbine pumps.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a ring of the character indicated above which provides both an end seal and a side seal, and which is replaceable when worn, so as to restore the sealed relation of the impeller and bowl of a pump without replacing the bowl casting involved, or the impeller.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a ring of the character indicated above which eliminates wear on impeller bowl castings otherwise produced by metal to metal contact between impeller and bowl castings; and which enables compensating for wear on the ring by moving the impeller up against the ring, in contrast to moving the ring up against the impeller as heretofore practiced.

A further object of the invention is to provide eflicient and long-wearing sealing rings of the character indicated above which can be made in rugged and serviceable forms at relatively low cost, and which can be easily and quickly installed and removed.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary axial transverse section taken through a centrifugal pump impeller and bowl casting, showing installed therein a sealing ring in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of said sealing ring; and

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated centrifugal pump structure comprises a bowl casting 6 having an axial opening 8 having a side wall 10 and having at one end thereof a shoulder 12, the side wall 10 and the shoulder 12 defining, in accordance with the present invention, a sealing ring seat.

The illustrated pump structure further includes an axial impeller shaft 14 which extends through the bowl opening 8 and has fixed thereon an impeller 16 which has an axial tubular annular neck 18 concentrically positioned in the opening 8 and reaching thereinto from the side of the bowl remote from the ring seat shoulder 12. The impeller neck 18 has an outer side 20 facing the bowl opening side wall 10 and a free end 22 facing the ring seat shoulder 12. In prior pump structure there is metal to metal contact between the impeller neck 18 and the side wall 10 of the bowl opening 8 which is subject to relatively rapid wear of both and requires replacement of the bowl to re-establish a seal between the bowl and the impeller in this area.

In accordance with the present invention, either the diameter of the bowl opening 8 is increased or the outside diameter of the impeller neck 18 is decreased, where necessary to provide an annular space therebetween; and a shoulder 12 is formed at the end of the opening side wall where such shoulder is absent, to define the ring seat mentioned above. In some cases both of these formations may already be present in a pump structure contemplated for an installation in accordance with the present invention.

For seating in the mentioned ring seat I provide a combined wear and sealing ring, generally designated 24, which comprises an outer, relatively thin annular shell 26 of metal or other suitable relative rigid and impervious material, having a side wall 28 having on one end a laterally inwardly projecting flange 30, the shell 26 being proportioned to fit snugly and conformably in the ring seat, with the side wall 28 thereof fitting the bowl opening side wall 10, and with the flange 30 thereof fitting the shoulder 12. Fixedly secured by suitable means in the shell 26 is an annular body 32 of compressible sealing and wear-taking material, such as rubber or a rubber composition.

The body 32 is annular and comprises a side wall 34 and a laterally inwardly extending flange 36 on one end of the side wall 34, the body 32 conformably fitting within the shell 26.

When the ring 24 is installed, the side wall 34 of the body 32 is compressed between the impeller neck side wall and the bowl opening side wall, and the flange 36 of the body 32 is compressed between the shoulder 12 and the free end 22 of the impeller neck 18, and in rotary wear contact therewith.

The body 38 of the impeller 16 is normally spaced from the adjacent portion 40 of the bowl 6 and from the adjacent end of the side wall of the ring 24, so that when wear develops either at the free end 22 of the impeller neck or at the flange 36, or both, this wear can be compensated for by moving the impeller toward the flange 36.

The resistance of the rubber material of the body 32 of the ring 24 to frictional wear and to wear thereon by sand or other abradent material in fluid operated upon by a centrifugal or turbine pump, and the compressibility of the body 32, are such that wear of either kind is much reduced. When such wear has taken place, the ring 24 is readily pressed into place in the ring seat. Because of the interposition of the ring 24, no operational wear takes place on the bowl 6 and wear on the impeller is reduced below that normally receiving, and replacement of a bowl, otherwise normally necessary, is eliminated.

Although I have shown and described herein a specific embodiment of my invention in detail, it is to be under stood that any change or changes in the structure and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of my invention as defined by the claim appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

A combined wear and sealing ring for a rotary pump having a bowl having a side wall and an axial opening, a ring seat surrounding said opening comprising said side wall and an annular shoulder projecting into said opening, an impeller having an axial tubular neck posi tioned concentrically in and spaced from said opening, said neck having an end facing and axially spaced from said shoulder and an outer orifice facing and spaced from said side wall, said shoulder and said side wall defining a ring seat, said ring comprising a solid annular compressible and non-metallic body to be seated in said seat,

said ring having a laterally outward side to engage said side wall and a laterally inwardly projecting flange to rest upon said shoulder, said body having a radially inward side tobe rotatably engaged with the outer surface of the neck with said end of the neck bearing upon said flange, with the ring body under compression, said ring further comprising an outer rigid relatively thin annular shell surrounding and conformably engaged with and fixedly secured to said compressible body, said shell being axially coextensive with said compressibie body and having a laterally inwardly projecting annular flange coextensive with the body flange, said shell to be interposed between said body and the side wall of the opening and said shell flange to be interposed between said shoulder and the body flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Schorr Apr. 13, Keating Jan. 12, Hait Jan. 31, Hait Jan. 31, Hait July 18, Meyer July 22, Bennett Apr. 21, Harlamoff Sept. 3, Hart Oct. 1, Home Nov. 11, Wilfley et al Oct. 16, Reich May 13, Haley Aug. 28, 

